Afghan Lawmakers: Total U.S. Pullout Would Trigger A Disaster

Firefight - U.S. Army Spc. Robert Zarlenga, front, fires his M4 carbine at insurgent forces near Joint Security Station Hasan in southern Afghanistan's Ghazni province, June 15, 2012. Zarlenga is assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's Company D, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod

Afghans Say Total U.S. Pullout Would Trigger Disaster -- Reuters

* Washington said mulling total exit after 2014
* Obama, Karzai to meet on Friday
* Govt collapsed after Soviet pullout in 1989

KABUL, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Afghan lawmakers said on Wednesday disaster and civil war would follow if Washington pushed ahead with a suggestion to withdraw all its troops from the country after 2014.

The White House said a day earlier it was considering the so-called "zero option" of a complete pullout - despite earlier recommendations from the top military commander in Afghanistan to keep soldiers there to help the government.

That option and the angry reaction from Afghan officials are likely to dominate talks between U.S. President Barack Obaba and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai in Washington on Friday.

The meeting was already likely to be tense, given ongoing strains in their relationship over the war.

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My Comment: U.S. and NATO forces cannot stay in Afghanistan forever .... if the Afghan government cannot contain the Taliban alone .... even though there are ten times more Afghan troops (backed-up with US and NATO support) than what the Taliban have .... we .... correction .... the Afghan government has a very serious problem.